Stage groups for stomach cancer
Doctors assign the stage of the cancer by combining the T, N, and M information (
see above) to say what stage the cancer is.
Stage 0: This is also called carcinoma in situ. The cancer is found only on the surface of the epithelium. The cancer has not grown into any other layers of the stomach. This stage is considered an early cancer (Tis, N0, M0).
Stage IA: The cancer has grown into the inner layer of the wall of the stomach. It has not spread to any lymph nodes or other organs (T1, N0, M0).
Stage IB: Stomach cancer is called stage IB in either of these 2 conditions:
- The cancer has grown into the inner layers of the wall of the stomach. It has spread to 1 to 2 lymph nodes but not elsewhere (T1, N1, M0).
- The cancer has grown into the outer muscular layers of the wall of the stomach. It has not spread to the lymph nodes or other organs (T2, N0, M0).
Stage IIA: Stomach cancer is called stage IIA for any of these conditions:
- The cancer has grown into the inner layer of the wall of the stomach. It has spread to 3 to 6 lymph nodes but not elsewhere (T1, N2, M0).
- The cancer has grown into the outer muscular layers of the wall of the stomach. It has spread to 1 to 2 lymph nodes but not elsewhere (T2, N1, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach. It has not grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa or spread to any lymph nodes or surrounding organs (T3, N0, M0).
Stage IIB: Stomach cancer is called stage IIB for any of these conditions:
- The cancer has grown into the inner layers of the wall of the stomach. It has spread to 7 to 15 lymph nodes but not elsewhere. (T1, N3a, M0).
- The cancer has invaded the outer muscular layers of the wall of the stomach. It has spread to 3 to 6 lymph nodes but not elsewhere (T2, N2, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach but has not grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa. It has spread to 1 to 2 lymph nodes but not elsewhere (T3, N1, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach. It has grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa, but it has not spread to any lymph nodes or surrounding organs (T4a, N0, M0).
Stage IIIA: Stomach cancer is called stage IIIA for any of these conditions:
- The cancer has grown into the outer muscular layers of the stomach wall. It has spread to 7 to 15 lymph nodes but not to other organs (T2, N3a, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach but has not grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa. It has spread to 3 to 6 lymph nodes but not to other organs (T3, N2, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach. It has grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa and has spread to 1 to 2 lymph nodes but not to other organs (T4a, N1, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach and has grown into nearby organs or structures. It has not spread to any lymph nodes or distant parts of the body (T4b, N0, M0).
Stage IIIB: Stomach cancer is called stage IIIB for any of these conditions:
- The cancer has grown into the inner layer of the wall of the stomach or the outer muscular layers of the stomach wall. It has spread to 16 or more lymph nodes but not to distant parts of the body (T1 or T2, N3b, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach but has not grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa. It has spread to 7 to 15 lymph nodes but has not invaded any surrounding organs (T3, N3a, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach and has grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa. It has spread to 7 to 15 lymph nodes but has not spread elsewhere (T4a, N3a, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach and has grown into nearby organs or structures. It may or may not have spread to 1 to 6 lymph nodes but not to distant parts of the body (T4b, N1 or N2, M0).
Stage IIIC: Stomach cancer is called stage IIIC for any of these conditions:
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach and may have grown into the peritoneal lining or serosa. It has spread to 16 or more lymph nodes but not to distant parts of the body (T3 or T4a, N3b, M0).
- The cancer has grown through all of the layers of the muscle into the connective tissue outside the stomach and has grown into nearby organs or structures. It has spread to 7 or more lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body (T4b, N3a or N3b, M0).
Stage IV: Stage IV stomach cancer describes a cancer of any size that has spread to distant parts of the body in addition to the area around the stomach (any T, any N, M1).
Recurrent cancer: Recurrent cancer is cancer that has come back after treatment. It may be a localized recurrence, which means it has come back in the place where it started. Or it may be a distant metastasis, which means it has come back in another part of the body. If the cancer does return, there will be another round of tests to learn about the extent of the recurrence. These tests and scans are often similar to those done at the time of the original
diagnosis.
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types...e 0: This is also,other layers of the stomach.